Splicing CDs

[Stefan Kac]

Just a note of personal experience...

Last year I competed in the Minnesota Orchestra's WAMSO Young Artists Competition. They required that the prelim tape be unedited and for the teacher to verify that you performed from memory at the recording session. I did several takes, sent in the best one, got accepted, and ended up going all the way to the finals and winning a couple of nice prizes.

Sent the same tape to Falcone later that year...denied. I knew it would be marginal considering that I had not edited it, and my decision not to do it over was as much based on $ as the fact that I was somewhat sick of the piece after the three rounds of WAMSO. BUT, next time, I will not hesitate if it is not specfically forbidden by the rules.

[jmutuba]

I didn't learn about the magnitude of tape splicing until very recently (about two months ago) and it really surprised me a lot. I have never edited a track, other than using different takes of different movements for a recording. Before finding out how many people edit their tapes for competitions and auditions, I had no clue that it was even going on. I guess to me, it's sort of sad that we have gotten to that point in our musical culture where even our best playing isn't good enough. Mistakes are mistakes and everyone makes them, no matter how amazing of a player you might be. I think it's unfortunate that we have to look at music from the perspective of how many mistakes we have made, versus how much music we have managed to create. And by no means am I saying that I am the most musical person in the world, because I have a long long long way to go before I even graduate college. But one thing my professor always tells me is that if I truly make music, the mistakes won't matter.

If our community of tuba and euphonium players as a whole could just agree to not edit our tapes *wishful thinking*, people who are great players but might not necessarily have the means for editing wouldn't be at a disadvantage, and the recordings we send out would be true representations of ourselves as a player, not the parts we pick and choose, leaving out the less-than perfect side of being a musician.

I don't mean to belittle anyone that has ever edited a tape, because considering the number of people that do, it seems impossible to get anywhere without splicing capabilities. I just wish that people could accept music for music, rather than having to pick it apart like a disease. That's why we're musicians, and not doctors, right?

That's just my $.01 worth

[windshieldbug]

I I just wish that people could accept music for music, rather than having to pick it apart like a disease. That's why we're musicians, and not doctors, right?

People have come to expect exactly the same performance time and time again, just like they hear on their CD players. The upshot is that while they may be protected from never hearing any less, they'll never hear any more, either! And that, to me, is the crying shame!

[Toobist]

Tell you what. Contact the music director, personel manager or anyone else on the panel and inform them of your intentions to modify (which is what you're doing) the recording you are sending them and if they say 'Sure! That's cool!' then hey, why not!?!? However, I doubt any panel would be cool with that.

Also, be sure to send another message to the section leads of the orchestra informing them that you'll require the whole ensemble to stop and go back to m.m. 114-164 eleven times because you want the audience to hear you play it right at least once.

The way I see it, if you label your audition CD as 'spliced' or 'altered' or 'edited' then feel free to do it. Oh yeah, and the chances are they'll toss it. If you don't indicate this in your application somewhere as yourself why. When you come up with an answer like: "I don't want them to know it's spliced." or "I don't want them to think I'm unethical..." or "I don't want them to hear what my REAL audition would sound like." Well.... If you should win, you're 1)Stealing gigs away from the rest of us more scrupulous and perhaps better players for the duration of the probational period of the newly-won contract. and 2) Costing the orchestras/ensembles (who are already flagging financially) the cost of another audition once they see you're a fraud.

So keep your chin up those of us who don't cheat on auditions. Keep track of probation periods of those who may have won the gig you were hoping for. The spot may be open again soon so keep practicing that Meistersinger trill!

Hoping for some wonderfully ill-researched flames.

Al Carter
Toronto, ON

[windshieldbug]

surely anyone who has gotten to the audition under false pretenses will be immediately weeded out

Faster than you can say, "Thank you, NEXT!"

[Toobist]

Yes. Thank God most gigs require a live audition. There was a half season (June-December) academy orchestra I played in that actually hired people based often-times entirely on taped auditions. I did mine live and won the three years I was elligable...thankfully. I think the reason I come off as angry at those who might try for an unfair advantage is because I'm sure I just barely won the gig those years.

Al Carter
Toronto, ON

[Todd S. Malicoate]

I think the reason I come off as angry at those who might try for an unfair advantage is because I'm sure I just barely won the gig those years.

Um...you're angry because you "barely won"? Why in the world would you care?